Legionella risk management

Cooling tower system management during the COVID-19 response

Circumstances related to the coronavirus (COVID-19 response), such as changes in usual processes or reduced personnel, may mean the risk classification for cooling towers has changed. Risk classification should be reviewed and revised as appropriate by those responsible for cooling tower safety.

Where the risk classification for the system has not changed, it is essential that cooling towers in normal operation are maintained and tested in line with the recommended operational program.

Where the risk classification has changed, it is satisfactory to put in place a temporary operational program and this should be reflected in the risk management plan for the system.

Regulation 63 of the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2019 (the Regulations) says that the maintenance and testing obligations in the Regulations do not apply to a cooling tower system that is shut down or otherwise not in use.

Legionella risk management

This section contains information about Legionella risk management for cooling tower systems and water delivery systems, as well as registration of cooling tower systems and auditing for cooling tower systems. The information is useful for:

cooling tower system managers and operators

land owners and property and facility managers

hospital and aged care facility engineers

car wash operators.

The following documents relating to legionella risk management are available to download: